paulfr

Paz

You said

No relative of a citizen as a spouse, child, etc can be removed, and no visa is needed for them to to enter (when accompanied by said spouse).

Are you sure about that ? I certainly hope so.

Then again they do not need to issue a green card or allow eventual citizenship.

I just brought my Thai wife to the USA on a K-1 VISA.

+ Tourist & Education VISAS are difficult to get and are big "red flags" here in the USA.

+ We were repeatedly warned (and saw thousand times on Internet) NOT to try a Tourist Visa. If they find out she is in a "relationship" she is sent back and can never enter the USA.

+ The K-3 VISA is specifically set-up for your situation.

- I am sorry for your situation.

- You did not do much research on this topic, and tried to do something with the wrong VISA.

- Sounds like to me, the USA Dept. of Homeland Security has been very lenient with you and your wife.

I wish you the best.

The K3 Visa is not presently an option according to ...

http://www.kvisas.com/K3-Visa.shtml

JFYI

I suggest the following:

1). Consult an immigration attorney. He /she know the applicable laws better than anyone.

2). Having seen some outrageous cases where people DID get an adjustment of status, and considering the length of your marriage and the fact that you have a child who is a US citizen, I am very confident that your wife's status will be easily changed here. An immigration attorney told me recently that when one builds "equity" in the us, such as having family here, especially children, the immigration folks are quite accommodating and helpful. So your chances for a smooth adjustment of status look great.

3). Like everything else and everywhere else in the world, when dealing with government folks who are going to determine your future with a stroke of a pen, be nice and polite about it. You will be amazed at how helpful these folks will be. But again. Be nice and polite. Be contrite and do not "demand" your rights as American citizen. They know your rights (and your obligations), and if you are nice about it, all will be well.

When you go to an interview, dress nicely. Both, you and your wife. No blue jeans... Dressing appropriately shows your respect for yourself and for the person you are going to see. When I asked my wife what she planned on wearing for our interview at the local USCIS office, she said "jeans". I corrected her immediately that she should wear a nice dress, and that I will wear a suit. We were treated like royalty by the inspector, and all went well.

Khun Falang

Thank you so much for your positive and optimistic information here.

It has made my day.

I do hope you are correct about all this and I will do exactly as you advise.

Thank you again ! !

St Louis Hospital at the Surasak BTS stop is a good farang friendly hospital

I need an umbilical hernia operation and was quoted 70,000 baht with mesh

by a surgeon I interviewed there.

You might want to talk to a surgeon there before committing to the expensive

Bumrungrad option.

I paid about 5500 baht for an HP6525 Deskjet Ink Advantage

It does all those things youo mention and more.

4 cartridges cost about 1000 baht for some 70 pages or so.

Can find them at PowerBuy and IT World among other places.

Sunbelt would be able to give very a accurate answer to this question

as they sell businesses every day and have so for many years

Google Sunbelt Thailand. Legal advisors

However since there is very little rule of law and given that corruption and dishonesty

is rampant, it will be an unusual seller who would accept less than

50-75% down in my opinion. And most I would guess would want 100% all cash.

JMHO

April Fools !

:-))

It is hard to know IMO.

Percent of graduates accepted to top schools is one measure.

But talking to students, and if possible teachers is another.

Some highly rated schools are actually quite poor.

I taught for 7 years and the negatives are rarely shared with others.

Even parents often do not know if the school is only interested in money

or actually cares about academic excellence.

Keep asking questions and getting recommendations.

Good luck

Thanks very much

That works.

Cheers

The items from family were new.

But because they are personal, they should be exempt according to my Thai friend.

Several times I have received goods for personal use from the US and had to

pay Thai duty tax. Once the clothes for my daughter from family was $200

[but mistakenly insured for $500]

in value and they wanted 22,000 baht [no misprint].

An agent got them down to 9000 baht which I had to pay.

Another time some food items in boxes came [approx $100 incl shipping]

and I had to pay 100% of the cost of goods plus shipping; came to 4000 baht.

Recently a Thai friend told me all persoanl items are duty free.

I was being swindled by the Customs Dept and did not know enough

to challenge them ........ ???

Is this true ?

Did I NOT have to pay these charges because all items were personal

in no way connected with a business ?

Thanks for your comments

Why worry over something that is not within your power to change, even if I did want to change anything, which I do not!

First this is a different situation fundamentally from the past.

Namely, the Big Man may be gone soon.

His presence in the past is what limited the conflicts.

Now ANYTHING can happen.

Civil War, Military Coup, Riots, etc.

AND

it only takes one rogue General to order "instigating farangs"

to be either jailed, beaten or worse.

You should worry because it may affect your longevity.

JMHO

In answer to your question I have received severance pay twice and from two separate schools! First time was after having a big row with the dickhe*d who ran the department during which, in temper, he told me I was sacked. Well, first I had received no written (or verbal) warnings over anything and secondly he forgot in his wisdom to put it in writing to me. I informed the school directors that they were in breach of labour law and was rewarded (although they didn't want to reward me) with three months salary.

Second time was after working at the same school for 4.5 years I went to sign a new contract only to be informed (very politely)that as I was (then) 67 years old the school would not be able to give me a new contract. I consulted labour laws and discovered that age is not a reason for dismissal and that they couldn't claim redundancy as under the same law they couldn't fill the position with anyone else. I prepared my case then threatened to take them to a labour tribunal - they backed down before that happened and i got 6 months salary off them.

Many westerners are simply not aware that if you are working legally you are entitled to the same labour protection as Thai people. Incidentally one year contracts do not mean that legally you have been employed by that school for one year as the contracts in the eyes of the labour laws, accrue and so you can claim for the full period that you have been employed. Anyone want further advice on an individual problem let me know

Brian

================================

Brian

Did you collect these severance payments within the last 5 - 6 years ?

The Private School Act is only about 5 yrs old.

It is what exempts private schools from severance and many other obligations of Thai Labor Law.

Prior to that, a teacher at a private school was covered.

Thank you for returning the post to the more general forum.

Your understanding is much appreicated

Whoever moved this to the Teacher forum may not have understood the spirit of the post

I already inquired in the Teacher Forum and I need a wider

audience to comment on it.

Surly there are exceptions to rules

The Forum is to help its readers and posters alike

Please return this to the Jobs Forum where it is perfectly appropriate.

Thank you

I need to bring this issue to a wider audience for opinions and experiences.

Does anyone know a teacher who left a private school and then received

severance pay ....... in recent years ?

Apparently there is a Private School Act in Labor Law that excludes teachers.

I am wondering if that has held up in Labor Court.

Thanks

I am owed 6 months of pay according to severance law

That is a sum of money I can not ignore

Anyone know what an Earth Loop Impedance test is? This is the ONLY correct way to know that your grounding / Earthing system is adequate.

GOOD LUCK!!!

Impedance is the tech term for resistance that can change quickly with time due to 'capacitance' and 'inductance'

Forgive the fancy words ....

For 50-60Hz grounding issues, Impedance is just resistance .

The loop test finds the impedance from your home to the power source.

If the ground is dry it may/will be high and you effectively have no ground

to the power source. You still may be well grounded inside your home.

The loop is the kind of circuit needed to measure current ....... " all current flows in a loop/circle"

Severance Pay

Employees are entitled to severance pay in accordance to salary, based on the duration of employment (working period) as follows.

• 120 days ˂ Working Period ˂ 1 year 30 days severance pay

• 1 year ≤ Working Period ˂ 3 years 90 days severance pay

• 3 years ≤ Working Period ˂ 6 years 180 days severance pay

• 6 years ≤ Working Period ˂ 10 years 240 days severance pay

• 10 years ≤ Working Period 300 days severance pay

According to the widely accepted interpretation of the law, the above regulation does not apply to private schools. There is a private school's Act which exempts them from certain laws and regulations.

Again, it is ALWAYS a good idea to check with the labor department because there are a large number of variables which may affect the case.

Culicine, in your example, some people have argued that it is continuous employment, but the school may have been exempted because it is private.

Scott

There is a Private School Act, but I have read that The Labor Act superceeds this act

and thus teachers at private schools are indeed covered by Labor Law regarding severance.

Do you know of any teachers at a private school who have gotten severance pay ?

Thanks

Today my claim for severance after teaching at a Private school for 3 years

was rejected at the Thai Labor Court by the front office clerks.

The school had refused to pay me any severance.

The clerks said severance is not due to a foreign teacher who worked at a private school.

But then I found the post below in the archives from April 2012.

It says there is a Labor Act that superceeds and is distinct from The Private School Act.

If correct, it appears this mean the clerks at the court were wrong to reject my filing of a complaint.

How do I get past these clerks without causing them to lose face ??

Thanks for your comments.

===========

Sunbelt Asia was recently asked this question by a group of teachers and our senior lawyer double check with the Labor Office on this matter.

The Private School Act does allow for differences in severance pay, the Labor Act will supersede the Private School Act if there is a conflict.

The Labor Act takes precedence over any other law and severance is due to a private school teacher, regardless of the Private School Act. A private school teacher who is in conflict with his employer should go to the Labor Courts to have the case adjudicated if the school balks at paying severance as required by law.

The termination of the contract does not remove the employers obligations to pay severance.

The teacher in question should file a complaint with the Labor Office.

Making your dreams of being an entrepreneur a reality
26th Floor Fortune Town
CP Tower 2, 1 Ratchadaphisek Rd
Din Daeng, Bangkok 10400
(Phra Ram 9 MRT Station Exit 1)

===================================

Water, if distilled or deionized, is an insulator.

It does NOT conduct electricity.

BUT

Impure water does conduct very well.

All tap water has salts and other impurities

and thus is a good conductor.

JFYI

Ironically, most "earths" in Thai construction are there for decoration only. There might be an earth wire in your house/condo, but try and figure out if it actually goes to a decent ground of any kind. I've never yet seen an earth pole and strap outside a house or business.

Top prize goes to the muppet that installed my new water pump. Diligently earthed the green cable between the metal body of the pump and the plastic plinth it was mounted on. I explained the problem, even got the wife to explain with much use of the Thai language app on my phone to explain "earth, ground, plastic, metal, circuit, conductivity" etc. Totally over his head - always done it this way apparently.

The guy that wired a point for our washing machine, did something similar, he ran an earth wire from the washing chassis and then, with a screw, attached it to the concrete floor.

Concrete floor ??

Concrete is an insulator.

Except perhaps in the rain when is absorbes water.

Ground means "electrical" ground, NOT gravitational ground.